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Proceeding Paper

Factors and Method of Preventing Construction Site Incidents †

by
Ameir Mohamed Medani
1,*,
Ismail Bin Abdul Rahman
2 and
Nor Aziati Binti Abdul Hamid
1
1
Faculty of Technology Management, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Parit Raja, Batu Pahat 86400, Johor, Malaysia
2
Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Parit Raja, Batu Pahat 86400, Johor, Malaysia
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Presented at the 2024 IEEE 6th International Conference on Architecture, Construction, Environment and Hydraulics, Taichung, Taiwan, 6–8 December 2024.
Eng. Proc. 2025, 91(1), 18; https://doi.org/10.3390/engproc2025091018
Published: 15 May 2025

Abstract

:
Construction accidents cause property damage and harm the environment. The construction industry in the UAE has recorded high fatalities and injuries. However, there has been limited research to prevent accidents on construction sites. Hence, this study aims to uncover the factors causing accidents and prevention measures. All the factors and prevention measures were identified through a literature review and verified in a questionnaire survey. A total of 50 incident causative factors were identified in two groups, and direct and underlying causes and six main preventive measures were determined. The questionnaire survey involved 30 experts who had 10 years of working experience in the UAE construction industry. The experts assessed each of the causative factors and the preventative measures based on a 5-point Likert scale. Reliability was tested on the collected data using Cronbach’s alpha value, and the value was 0.977. The most severe relevant factors of direct causes included violation, taking shortcuts, inadequate leadership/supervision, and human errors. The probability and severity were moderate, and the hazardous activities included unsafe working at height and unsafe lifting. This study shows that workers with experience from 1 to 5 years were engaged in the most accidents. In total, 26 preventive measures were determined. The results benefit the construction industry of the UAE in preventing or avoiding potential accidents at construction sites.

1. Introduction

Buildings and infrastructure development are a part of the construction industry. The UAE has a strong economic foundation, and the construction industry is expanding. According to the United Nations Accounts Database, the UAE was ranked 18th out of 25 countries in the world for construction. It is mandated that all organizations establish a management system for occupational health and safety. Under the mandate, the Abu Dhabi Occupational Health and Safety (OSHAD) Center was established to formulate the requirements, practices, and guidelines for the establishment, implementation, and oversight of occupational health and safety. The most recent version of these guidelines was released in 2017.
The construction industry is one of the most hazardous industries in terms of occupational accidents [1]. There is still a dearth of detail in accident models and the factors for construction accidents. Effective prevention of accidents involves an understanding of significant factors [2]. The factors are interrelated with each other and cannot be isolated. However, there is still a need to realign and re-balance the priorities assigned to factors to significantly improve safety on construction sites [3]. Duryan et al. [4] proved that workplace injuries and fatalities in the UK at construction sites have declined markedly since the occupational health and safety (OHS) management system was introduced [5]. The system summarizes frequent major risks, demanding scientific approaches for investigating fall-from-height incidents and intended preventive measures to enhance safety. Nevertheless, the accidents lack an assessment of the relationship between these factors. Organizational factors and shared values reflect the security perspectives of organization members [6].
Weiy and Jwong (2015) [7] researched safety management, concentrating on safety risk management, environment, behavior, system safety evaluation, and other topics that necessitate a large amount of objective and historical data, including risk analysis, management, and influence. Human beings are affected by safe environments and behavior. The construction industry in the USA implements the concept of designing construction safety as a standard practice to reduce overall project risks [8]. Construction is one of the riskiest jobs in the world. In 2009, the United States’ fatal work-related injury rate for construction workers was three times higher than that of all other workers. The most common cause of injuries was falls from heights.
We carried out a literature review on occupational health and safety to determine related factors. As a result, 53 factors were defined in four categories. Protection equipment for safety, such as guardrails, hard hats, and harnesses, was also researched. Workplace accidents related to scaffolding can be prevented by using the right safety gear and practices, such as locking ladders and having scaffolding inspected by a qualified individual. In the construction industry, trench cave-ins, transportation accidents, and electrocution are the leading causes of fatal injuries. Given that construction works take place in dangerous surroundings, there are many causes of accidents. Accidents increase the costs of construction and negative publicity. Authorities have tightened safety regulations to improve safety on construction sites. However, accidents still occur, which necessitates more research.
Accidents in the construction industry are unanticipated. In construction projects, accident prediction is crucial [9]. In 2014, 4251 workers on private projects suffered fatal injuries, of which 874 were involved in a construction project, according to the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration. In total, 5% of the occupational fatalities in the US occurred in the construction industry. Additionally, once engineers and designers are aware of the implications of occupational health and safety, key performance metrics for these areas can be improved. In the safety and health performance in the UAE, the design of safety and health measures reduces work-related injuries and related costs and improves work progress and personal protective equipment [10].
According to data from the UAE Labour Office in 2010, 40% of all employees were employed in the construction sector. There are three authorities for construction in the UAE: TRAKHEES, Dubai Municipality (DM), and the Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone Authority (DTMFZA). The authority has its jurisdiction and establishes rules and controls construction. Safety and health measures can be determined by designers, as workers’ health and safety are the contractor’s exclusive responsibility. Designers need to consider safety and health in the design process before the project starts [11]. Al Zarooni, Awad, and Alzaatreh [12] noted that research is necessary to understand how policies have affected industry sectors and work-related incidents. To determine common causes, linkages, and factors of construction accidents, the Labour Inspection Authority investigated 176 significant construction accidents using the construction accident causation (ConAC) method. Worker activities, risk management, immediate supervision, material or equipment usability, local dangers, worker capabilities, and project management were important factors. Causal relationships between these factors were found using a set-theoretic method, risk management, direct supervision, and worker behaviors.
According to Gungor [13], safety signs are crucial for health hazards, fire safety, emergency evacuation, and accident avoidance. These factors are consistently associated with worker behaviors. A correlation between worker behavior, risk management, and immediate supervision was found, highlighting the supervisor’s responsibility for dangerous situations or behaviors and organizing tasks to reduce risks. Planning and risk control at various levels are necessary for risk management and immediate supervision, underscoring the necessity of risk management [14].
The types of accidents are identified using construction accident investigation and reporting systems. However, a sufficient explanation for accident is lacking. Therefore, the theories of accident causes and human errors must be investigated. Due to the unique characteristics of the construction industry, human errors and accident causes must be understood.
The Accident Root Causes Tracing Model (ARCTM), created especially for the construction sector, was used in this study. According to ARCTM, there are three main reasons for accidents: (1) not identifying an unsafe condition that was present before or developed after an activity started; (2) carrying out work even after noticing an unsafe condition; and (3) acting unsafely despite the initial conditions. The ARCTM highlights how critical it is to comprehend unsafe conditions during work, attributing them to four primary causes: (1) mismanagement; (2) worker or colleague misconduct; (3) non-human-related incidents; and (4) an unsafe condition inherent to the original construction site. As a result, the ARCTM offers a comprehensive framework for understanding construction site accidents by acknowledging the possible contributions of both management and labor to the accident process. Preventative action is needed for efficient accident avoidance [15].
The social dynamics at work have an impact on industrial accidents. The sociological explanation is in opposition to safety procedures, which are related to risky behaviors and environmental factors in accidents. Accidents happen at the individual member level as well as at the social level at work. Data from a semi-experimental design were used to assess hypotheses, with variables including shift type (rotating/fixed), shift type (day/night), technology kind, and management styles. Social interactions varied, although the same workers worked in different shifts. The majority of the variations in accident rates between shifts were described by the sociological hypothesis, and statistical analyses indicated that it explains better than other theories. When workers lose orientation, accidents can be avoided by safety management, as described by sociology and by self-control. When making changes to ergonomics, how the workspace’s machinery, plant, and procedures interact with the social dynamics of the workplace must be explained. Social knowledge ought to be incorporated into the ergonomics [16].
Construction-related accidents are a major problem. In Australia, variables and interactions in construction investigations were determined. We examined the contributing variables, preventive measures, and factors in 100 construction accident investigation reports by applying a thematic analysis. We assessed how well they matched up with current theories of accident occurrence. The investigation of construction accidents concentrated on human mistakes to uncover contributing factors and their interactions. The study results highlighted the advantages of using theory-based techniques for accident investigation and analysis as well as significant ramifications [17]. Recently, there has been a noticeable decrease in occupational accidents in the construction industry. Nonetheless, the death toll is still higher than in other industries. Previous research provided analytical models to determine factors of occupational accidents and the causes of accidents. A novel model was constructed by studying various projects and surveying design and site supervision. A thorough analysis of the factors included the state of the economy, the skill of the design team, project and risk management, financial capability, health and safety regulations, and early planning for effective risk prevention [18].
It has been normal practice to avoid construction accidents using the behavior-based approach. Nevertheless, the effects of these treatments did not have advantages. Instead of concentrating on the immediate causes of accidents, systemic variables need to be determined. By examining heat sickness on construction sites, a causal relationship between construction accidents and illnesses was found. In heating sickness, a person is partially the agent and the sufferer. Even though it has the potential to be lethal, the effect affects the afflicted person only and does not spread to others. To determine institutional factors that affect construction accidents in construction, a simplified example of heat sickness was studied. In 36 heat sickness incidents, 216 individual patients from 29 construction sites were interviewed, and site observations were conducted. The study revealed institutional characteristics to support behavioral interventions to prevent heat sickness. The results provided efficient interventions and elements to be improved [19].
A study examining one hundred distinct construction incidents was carried out with focus groups. Qualitative information on the circumstances in each incident and the contributing elements were studied. Interviews with accident participants and their managers or supervisors, site inspections, and evaluations of pertinent records were conducted. For site investigations, stakeholders including designers, manufacturers, and suppliers were consulted. Problems with employees or work groups accounted for 70% of the causes of the accidents. Workplace-related concerns accounted for 49%; equipment flaws accounted for 56% of the accidents; difficulties with material appropriateness and condition accounted for 27% of the accidents; and inadequate risk management for 84%.
A model of an ergonomic system showed how management, design, and cultural elements affected circumstances and behaviors in accidents. For long-term construction safety, it is imperative to address worker issues (unsafe acts/personal factors), workplace issues (unsafe condition factors), equipment/material issues (unsafe condition factors), and management concerns (system factors), which are the categories into which the causal elements of accidents fall. To test a prospective analytic approach of the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Construction Division, a small sample of fatal construction incidents was studied. This study was conducted as a government inquiry. Out of 211 fatal incidents between 2006 and 2008, 26 occurrences (resulting in 28 fatalities) were included. These accidents were chosen to reflect a variety of accident characteristics. Structured interviews with the investigating inspectors and the inspectorate reports were used to assess the accidents. A systematic categorization was carried out using the Human Issue Analysis and Categorization System (HFACS), covering organizational and task-level issues in addition to mistakes. The results described underlying issues associated with shortcomings in design, procurement and installation, competence assurance, planning and risk assessment, and contracting techniques. By comparing the findings with fifty incidents, the results were verified [20].
Project management involves managing a temporary project team to achieve objectives related to cost, quality, function, and utility throughout all stages of a project’s life cycle by applying fundamental management in planning, organizing, controlling, and leading. Rather than being a fundamental idea, worker safety is frequently seen as an external factor in project management. Planning and environmental restrictions, codes of conduct, labor laws, safety rules, licenses, insurance, and tax laws play a significant role in the construction industry. Since most of these rules and regulations are well stated, it is possible to estimate how they will affect building projects with a fair degree of accuracy. However, it is typical for industrial, safety, tax, and environmental rules to change regularly due to difficulties in law changes and projects. The principal contractor’s major responsibility is to oversee the work of subcontractors.
The construction site is a crucial resource, similar to labor, equipment, materials, and time, and resource allocation is a vital part of construction planning. The construction plan aims to optimize the site by strategically placing facilities in available locations. An effective site layout shortens transportation time, reduces the frequency of material transport, minimizes material re-handling, lowers labor costs, and consequently reduces construction costs. By reasonably assigning construction operation and areas, auxiliary operational areas, and material laydown areas within the site layout plan, conflicts between workers and facilities, between different facilities, between workers and the environment, and between facilities and the environment must be avoided to ultimately enhance the safety level of the construction site.

2. Methodology

A questionnaire was developed for the objectives of this research. The outcome of the literature review was used to develop the questionnaire. It was distributed to construction experts in Abu Dhabi, the UAE, who had more than 5 years’ experience [21]. Four useful recommendations were given in the questionnaire, which consisted of three parts: demography, factors affecting accidents, and prevention measures. In the demography part, the profile of respondents included company category, types of accidents, age, and working experience. Factors of accidents were extracted from the literature review. Preventive measures were also listed based on the results of the literature review (Table 1).

3. Results

The measurement scale was used to measure the level of relevancy of the factors, the nature of the incident, the body part affected by the incident, and prevention measures. Table 2 presents the scale used in the survey [22].
The questionnaire’s content was validated using the method in Refs. [23,24]. Hill [25] and Isaac and Michael [26] included 10 to 30 respondents in their research. Van Belle [27] included 12 volunteers for their research. In this study, the semi-structured questionnaire survey was carried out for contractors, consultants, and others who had more than 5 years of experience in the UAE. In the survey, the respondents responded online, on the telephone, and via email [26,27,28,29,30,31,32]. A total of 30 respondents were included in the survey, with a return rate of 88% (Table 3).

3.1. Reliability Test

The reliability test results of the 126 items in the questionnaire are displayed in Table 4. Cronbach’s alpha value was calculated for the test. Cronbach’s alpha values were higher than 0.9, indicating legitimacy [33]. The questionnaire had internal consistency, too.

3.2. Descriptive Statistics

The demography of the respondents is described in Figure 1. The majority (83.3%) held a degree or postgraduate certification, whilst 16.6% had advanced diplomas. Given that the majority of respondents had a decent level of expertise, the questionnaire responses were regarded as reliable. In total, 43.3% of the respondents had experience with occupational safety and health in the construction business, whereas 56.7% had been employed for 11 to 20 years.

3.3. Factors and Preventive Measures

Q20 had a p-value of 0.039, and Q57 had 0.031, so they were not statistically significant. Other items were significant statistically. There were 27 slightly relevant factors, 62 moderately relevant factors, and 5 factors that were relevant, while there were no irrelevant or extreme factors, as shown in Table 5.
The incident preventive measures had no statistically significant difference in the years of working experience, and all of them were scored higher than 4 (extremely relevant), as shown in Table 6.
A Kruskal–Wallis H Test was conducted for the 30 respondents. Between the three groups of different experiences, there was no statistically significant difference (p-value > 0.05). The mean score was higher than 3 (moderately relevant). Table 7 shows the relevancy of the factors in the expert’s opinions.
In total, 26 methods for incident prevention were identified and were relevant. The methods were grouped into management, personal, task, material, work environment, and personal protective equipment, as shown in Table 8.
The hazard relevancy of the accidents in the construction industry is shown in Table 9.
The risk evaluation and assessment for the construction site showed moderate relevancy (Table 10).
The factors affecting the accidents, the nature of the accidents, and related body parts are shown in Table 11.

4. Conclusions

A total of 92 factors were determined for accidents on construction sites in the UAE in immediate and root causes. The immediate causes were grouped into safe (15 factors) and unsafe conditions (14 factors), while the root causes were grouped into personal factors (7) and system factors (15). Seven causative factors such as direct supervision and local hazards were linked to worker behaviors. There was a substantial correlation between worker behaviors, risk management, and immediate supervision. The results highlight the significance of the supervisor’s management of dangerous conditions/acts and the organization of the jobs to minimize risk. A strong correlation was revealed between worker behaviors and risk management, as well as between risk management and timely monitoring. The significance of risk must be addressed at different levels and by different behaviors in construction projects because risk management and immediate supervision are important in risk control at different levels. Correlations between the causative elements were also observed. To effectively prevent accidents, factors related to requirements, the state of the economy, the skill of the design team, project and risk management, financial capacity, health and safety policy, and early planning must be assessed.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, methodology, software, validation, formal analysis, investigation, resources, data curation, writing—original draft preparation, writing—review and editing, visualization, funding acquisition and project administration by First author A.M.M. supervision, by second and third author I.B.A.R. and N.A.B.A.H. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research received no external funding.

Institutional Review Board Statement

Not applicable.

Informed Consent Statement

Not applicable.

Data Availability Statement

Some or all data, models, or codes that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Figure 1. Descriptive statistics of questionnaire survey results.
Figure 1. Descriptive statistics of questionnaire survey results.
Engproc 91 00018 g001aEngproc 91 00018 g001b
Table 1. Factors affecting accidents.
Table 1. Factors affecting accidents.
QPart B: What is Your Scale for the Following Management System Factors that Cause the Incident Do You Experience?Q48Excessive Noise Exposure
Q1Inadequate trainingQ49Radiation exposure
Q2Inadequate/missing procedureQ50Equipment failure
Q3Inadequate purchasing/material handling What is your scale for the following nature of incident do you experience?
Q4Inadequate tool/ maritalQ51Abrasions/Bruising (Scratches)
Q5Inadequate risk assessment/managementQ52Amputation—Traumatic
Q6Inadequate contractor managementQ53Burn
Q7Inadequate management of changeQ54Crush Cuts/Laceration/Open Wound
Q8Inadequate leadership/supervisorQ55Electric Shock
Q9Inadequate incident investigation/analysisQ56Foreign Body under Skin
Q10Inadequate engineering/design/controlQ57Fracture
Q11Inadequate maintenanceQ58Foreign Body in Eye
Q12Inadequate communicationQ59Heat-Related Illness
Q13Inadequate planning/inspectionQ60Occupational Illness/Disease
Q14Inadequate emergency response planQ61Psychological (Stress).
What is your scale for the following Personal factors that cause the incident do you experience?Q62Poisoning/Toxic Effect—Inhalation
Q15Physical capabilityQ63Strain/Sprain
Q16Mental stateQ64Respiratory Disease
Q17BehaviorQ65Skin Irritation/Disease
Q18Human error What is your scale for the following mechanism of incident/injury that causes the incident do you experience?
Q19Physical conditionQ66Human–Human
Q20Skill levelQ67Confined Space
Q21Mental stressQ68Environmental Conditions
What is your scale for the following unsafe acts that cause the incident do you experience?Q69Fixed Machinery
Q22Failure to secure itsQ70Infectious Agent
Q23Failure to warnQ71Materials or Chemical Substances
Q24Remove/Defeating safety deviceQ72Mobile Plant/Equipment
Q25Failure to use PPEQ73Non-Powered Equipment/Tools/Appliances
Q26Operation at improper speedQ74Scaffolding or Ladders
Q27Lack of awareness/knowledgeQ75Powered Equipment/Tools/Appliances
Q28Lack of attention concentrationQ76Road Transport/Vehicles at site
Q29Violation/taking shortcutsQ77Sharps/Scalpels/Needles/etc.
Q30Operation equipment without authorityQ78Trench or Excavations
Q31Service equipment in operation What is your scale for the following body parts that was affected incident do you experience?
Q32Using defective equipment/toolsQ79Head
Q33Using equipment improperlyQ80Spine, Pelvis, and Back
Q34Improper lifting/ lading/placementQ81Fingers and Thumb
Q35Improper position for taskQ82Toe, Foot, and Ankle
Q36HorseplayQ83Heat-Related and Occupational Illness
What is your scale for the following unsafe conditions that cause the incident do you experience?Q84Eye
Q37Inadequate guards or barriers What is your scale for the following top hazard in construction site do you experience?
Q38Inadequate wiring system or noticeQ85Unsafe working at height
Q39Inadequate ventilationQ86Unsafe lifting operation
Q40Fire and explosive hazardQ87Open shafts & edges
Q41High/low temperature exposureQ88Unsafe machine/equipment/tools
Q42Hazardous gases/dust/vapors/fumesQ89Housekeeping/site store
Q43Defective tools, equipment or materialQ90Unsafe working platforms/ladder/cantilever/scaffolds
Q44Inadequate or improper protective equipmentQ91Unsafe excavation
Q45Inadequate or excess illuminationQ92Unsafe electrical equipment/connection
Q46Congestion/ restricted action/poor accessQ93What is the probability of incident do you experience?
Q47Poor housekeeping, disorderQ94What is the severity of consequence of the incident do you experience?
How do you scale the following managing incident prevention factors? Part C: What is your scale for the following incident prevention method (task factors) do you experience??
Q95Top management commitments, leadership, and lead by example policyQ109Use of safe work procedure
Q96Sufficient training (induction, orientation, awareness and specific training)Q110Applying work safe monitoring procedure
Q97Safe work procedures being enforced for implementationQ111Safety devices exciting (human error prevention method)
Q98Adequate supervisionQ112Appropriate tools and materials
Q99Carry out regular maintenance of equipment. What is your scale for the following incident prevention method (material) do you experience?
Q100Regular safety joint inspections (CEO, Director, GM, PM, CRE, and supervisor)Q113Appropriate equipment and machinery
Q101Committed to risk assessment and management of changeQ114Less hazardous alternative products (possible and available)
Q102Implementation of Hazard, Near Miss, Incident Reporting, and Investigation. What is your scale for the following incident prevention method (work environment factors) do you experience?
Q103Committed consultation and communication procedure.Q115Poor housekeeping
Q104Incident investigation led by top management and corrective action implemented.Q116Physical work environment (noise, temperature, light, weather, …)
What is your scale for the following incident prevention method (personnel factors) do you experience? What is your scale for the following incident prevention method (PPE) do you experience?
Q105Implementing competency procedureQ117Use of proper head protection.
Q106Implementing roles and responsibilities procedureQ118Use of proper coverall protection.
Q107Physical and mental capability, and workloadQ119Use proper foot protection.
Q108Follow the safe operating proceduresQ120Use of proper eye protection.
Table 2. Scale in questionnaire.
Table 2. Scale in questionnaire.
Scale12345
Description of the scaleNot
significant (0%)
Slightly significant (25%)Moderately
significant
(50%)
Significant (75%)Very
Significant
(100%)
Table 3. Respondents and scoring scale.
Table 3. Respondents and scoring scale.
Likert’s Relevancy Scale
Number of QuestionsLevel of Relevancy%Likert’s Relevancy ScaleNumber of Answers
120Extremely relevant10050
Very Relevant75431
Moderately Relevant50361
Slightly Relevant25228
Not relevant010
120
Table 4. Reliability of questionnaire survey.
Table 4. Reliability of questionnaire survey.
Cronbach’s AlphaCronbach’s Alpha Based on Standardized ItemsN of Items
0.9770.975126
Table 5. Factors affecting accidents on construction sites.
Table 5. Factors affecting accidents on construction sites.
Qp Value
[Cut off Value Is 0.05]
Mean ScoreLevel of RelevancyQp Value
[Cut off Value Is 0.05]
Mean ScoreLevel of Relevancy
Q10.1973Moderately relevantQ480.7272Slightly
relevant
Q20.9973Moderately relevantQ490.8.22Slightly
relevant
Q30.0623Moderately relevantQ500.9243Moderately relevant
Q40.4773Moderately relevantQ510.4003Moderately relevant
Q50.3063Moderately relevantQ520.6772Slightly
relevant
Q60.2583Moderately relevantQ530.7372Slightly
relevant
Q70.1213Moderately relevantQ540.8513Moderately relevant
Q80.3294Very relevantQ550.9202Slightly
relevant
Q90.6913Moderately relevantQ560.3402Slightly
relevant
Q100.5083Moderately relevantQ570.0313Moderately relevant
Q110.5103Moderately relevantQ580.8522Slightly
relevant
Q120.1923Moderately relevantQ590.6263Moderately relevant
Q130.7953Moderately relevantQ600.5252Slightly
relevant
Q140.9623Moderately relevantQ610.1322Slightly
relevant
Q150.8492Slightly RelevantQ620.8022Slightly
relevant
Q160.9752Slightly RelevantQ630.8442Slightly relevant
Q170.6433Moderately relevantQ640.4862Slightly
relevant
Q180.8204Very relevantQ650.3902Slightly
relevant
Q190.4742Slightly relevantQ660.2583Moderately relevant
Q200.0393Moderately relevantQ670.7802Slightly
relevant
Q210.8223Moderately relevantQ680.2032Slightly
relevant
Q220.0973Moderately relevantQ690.0622Slightly
relevant
Q230.3553Moderately relevantQ700.3682Slightly
relevant
Q240.9683Moderately relevantQ710.2592Slightly
relevant
Q250.2283Moderately relevantQ720.3373Moderately relevant
Q260.2813Moderately relevantQ730.2073Moderately relevant
Q270.9473Moderately relevantQ740.0733Moderately relevant
Q280.7683Moderately relevantQ750.3333Moderately relevant
Q290.9924Very relevantQ760.2963Moderately relevant
Q300.5813Moderately relevantQ770.8973Moderately relevant
Q310.8193Moderately relevantQ780.4753Moderately relevant
Q320.7633Moderately relevantQ790.7512Slightly relevant
Q330.3263Moderately relevantQ800.5272Slightly relevant
Q340.7673Moderately relevantQ810.5813Moderately relevant
Q350.8123Moderately relevantQ820.9323Moderately relevant
Q360.4873Moderately relevantQ830.2243Moderately relevant
Q370.4333Moderately relevantQ840.4352Slightly Relevant
Q380.4583Moderately relevantQ850.0974Very relevant
Q390.2042Slightly relevantQ860.5794Very relevant
Q400.2542Slightly relevantQ870.9423Moderately relevant
Q410.7683Moderately relevantQ880.0873Moderately relevant
Q420.3362Slightly relevantQ890.3593Moderately relevant
Q430.7013Moderately relevantQ900.2073Moderately relevant
Q440.3043Moderately relevantQ910.7773Moderately relevant
Q450.4522Slightly relevantQ920.4093Moderately relevant
Q460.9053Moderately relevantQ930.0533Moderately relevant
Q470.2903Moderately relevantQ940.4383Moderately relevant
Table 6. Preventive measures and their scores.
Table 6. Preventive measures and their scores.
Factorsp Value
[Cut off Value Is 0.05]
Factorsp Value
[Cut off Value Is 0.05]
Q950.533Q1080.179
Q960.903Q1090.307
Q970.689Q1100.882
Q980.376Q1110.149
Q990.616Q1120.957
Q1000.550Q1130.825
Q1010.340Q1140.526
Q1020.326Q1150.081
Q1030.781Q1160.627
Q1040.387Q1170.856
Q1050.372Q1180.974
Q1060.530Q1190.529
Q1070.110Q1200.697
Table 7. Relevancy of factors affecting accidents in expert’s opinions.
Table 7. Relevancy of factors affecting accidents in expert’s opinions.
Likert ScaleManagement System FactorsPersonal FactorsUnsafe ActUnsafe Condition
1 N/AN/AN/AN/A
2 N/A
-
Physical Capability
-
Mental state
-
Physical condition
N/A
-
Inadequate ventilation
-
Fire and explosive hazard
-
Hazardous gases/ dust/vapors/ fumes
-
Inadequate or excess illumination
-
Excessive noise exposure
-
Radiation exposure
3
-
Insufficient instruction; inadequate or absent protocol
-
Poor material handling and purchase—poor tool/material
-
Poor risk assessment and management; poor contractor management; poor change management
-
Insufficient examination and analysis of the incident
Inadequate emergency response plan; inadequate planning and inspection; inadequate communication; inadequate maintenance; inadequate engineering, design, and control;
-
Behavior
-
Skill level
-
Mental stress
-
Not securing; not warning; eliminating or circumventing safety device
-
Not wearing personal protective equipment (PPE); operating at the incorrect pace
-
Absence of awareness or understanding; inability to focus attention
-
Using faulty tools or equipment; operating equipment without authorization; improperly placing, lifting, or loading equipment; positioning equipment incorrectly for a purpose; horseplay
-
Insufficient barriers or guards
-
Inadequate notice or wiring system; exposure to extreme temperatures
-
Defective apparatus, material, or tool; insufficient or inappropriate personal protective equipment; congestion, restricted movement, or inadequate access; poor housekeeping or disorder
-
Equipment malfunction
4
-
Inadequate leadership/ supervisor
Human error
-
Violation/taking shortcuts
N/A
5N/AN/AN/AN/A
Table 8. Preventive measures.
Table 8. Preventive measures.
Likert ScaleManagementPersonalTaskMaterialWork EnvironmentPPE
1N/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
2N/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
3N/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
41—Top management commitments, leadership, and lead by example policy
2—Sufficient training (induction, orientation, awareness and specific training
3—Safe work procedures being enforced for implementation
4—Adequate supervision
5—Carry out regular maintenance of equipment
6—Regular safety joint inspections (CEO, Director, GM, PM, CRE, and supervisor)
7—Committed to risk assessment and management of change
8—Implementation of Hazard, Near Miss, Incident Reporting, and Investigation.
9—Committed consultation and communication procedure.
10—Incident investigation led by top management and corrective action implemented.
11—Implementing competency procedure
12—Implementing the roles and responsibilities procedure
13—Physical and mental capability and workload
14—Follow the safe operating procedures
15—Use of safe work procedure
16—Applying work safe monitoring procedure
17—Safety devices exciting (human error prevention method)
18—Appropriate tools and materials
19—Appropriate equipment and machinery
20—Less hazardous alternative products (possible and available)
21—Poor housekeeping
22—Physical work environment (noise, temperature, light, weather, …)
23—Use of proper head protection.
24—Use of proper coverall protection.
25—Use of proper foot protection.
26—Use of proper eye protection.
5N/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Table 9. Relevancy of factors to accidents.
Table 9. Relevancy of factors to accidents.
Likert ScaleTop Hazard
1N/A
2N/A
3
-
Open shafts and edges
-
Unsafe machine/equipment/tools
-
Housekeeping/site store
-
Unsafe working platforms/ladder/cantilever/scaffolds
-
Unsafe excavation
-
Unsafe electrical equipment/connection
4
-
Unsafe working at height
-
Unsafe lifting operation
5N/A
Table 10. Relevancy of risk evaluation.
Table 10. Relevancy of risk evaluation.
Risk Evaluation
Likert Scale1 2 3 4 5
Probability
Severity
Table 11. Relevancy of accident nature, mechanism, and related body parts.
Table 11. Relevancy of accident nature, mechanism, and related body parts.
Likert ScaleNature of the Accidents MechanismBody part
1NANANA
2
-
Amputation—Traumatic
-
Burn—Electric Shock
-
Foreign Body under Skin
-
Foreign Body in Eye
-
Occupational Illness/Disease
-
Psychological (Stress)
-
Poisoning/Toxic Effect—Inhalation
-
Strain/Sprain
-
Respiratory Disease
-
Skin Irritation/Disease
-
Confined Space
-
Environmental Conditions
-
Fixed Machinery
-
Infectious Agent
-
Materials or Chemical Substances
-
Head
-
Spine, Pelvis, and Back
-
Eye
3
-
Abrasions/Bruising (Scratches)
-
Crush Cuts/ Laceration/Open Wound
-
Fracture
-
Heat-Related Illness
Human—Transportable Plant/Equipment
-
Non-Powered Tools, Appliances, and Equipment
-
Ladders or scaffolds
-
Powered Tools, Appliances, and Equipment
-
Road Transport and On-Site Vehicles
-
Needles, scalpels, sharps, etc.
-
Digging or excavating
-
Fingers and Thumb
-
Toes, Foot, and Ankle
-
Heat-Related and Occupational Illness
4NANANA
5NANANA
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MDPI and ACS Style

Medani, A.M.; Rahman, I.B.A.; Hamid, N.A.B.A. Factors and Method of Preventing Construction Site Incidents. Eng. Proc. 2025, 91, 18. https://doi.org/10.3390/engproc2025091018

AMA Style

Medani AM, Rahman IBA, Hamid NABA. Factors and Method of Preventing Construction Site Incidents. Engineering Proceedings. 2025; 91(1):18. https://doi.org/10.3390/engproc2025091018

Chicago/Turabian Style

Medani, Ameir Mohamed, Ismail Bin Abdul Rahman, and Nor Aziati Binti Abdul Hamid. 2025. "Factors and Method of Preventing Construction Site Incidents" Engineering Proceedings 91, no. 1: 18. https://doi.org/10.3390/engproc2025091018

APA Style

Medani, A. M., Rahman, I. B. A., & Hamid, N. A. B. A. (2025). Factors and Method of Preventing Construction Site Incidents. Engineering Proceedings, 91(1), 18. https://doi.org/10.3390/engproc2025091018

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